Getting The Point
by floatinglights
Summary: She knew people were fond of hearing they were loved. She just never really got the point. [Taang OneShot]


_A/N: Just something that crossed my mind, and I wanted to get it out. It's Taang, once again with implied Zutara and Sukka ('cause you know I just can't leave those out). I promise I'll get another chapter of BatB out this week as well... or at least, I'll try. _

_Enjoy!_

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar. I just don't.

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**Getting the Point**

"I don't get it." Frowning, Toph gazed up at the dark night sky with her blind eyes. She lay back down in the grass, lazily chewing a mouthful of Fire Flakes.

Next to her, Aang looked up curiously. "What not?" he wanted to know.

Toph shrugged. "People can be such idiots." She reached for the paper bag of Fire Flakes placed next to her and grabbed another handful.

Aang raised an eyebrow at her. Exactly how did that follow? "What do you mean?" he asked, confused.

"I mean that people are idiots," Toph repeated flatly, curling her arms underneath her head. His heart rate told her he still didn't quite understand, and she sighed. "Remember that ambassador we had a meeting with the other day?" she continued. "His wife, at least?"

"Oh." Aang nodded comprehensively. He definitely remembered; he doubted he could ever get the scenario out of his head. They had been at a meeting with a pair of ambassadors of a small Fire Nation town when a woman came running in. She had dropped to her knees in front of one of the two men and started crying hysterically, screaming something about being neglected and how he didn't love her anymore. The ambassador had only stared at her in pure horror as she went on and on, hardly even stopping to breathe. And although he and Toph had had a hard time holding back their laughter, Aang felt sorry for the poor man. "Yeah, I remember."

"She was just going on and on about how he never said he loved her and how they could never make their relationship work that way…" Toph shook her head and clacked her tongue disdainfully. "It was just sad." She dug her hand into the paper bag again.

Aang chuckled. "I guess some people just like assurance," he said cheerfully. He pulled his knees up under his chin, watching her with amusement as she rolled her eyes at him. Somehow, Toph always managed to make a fuss about the most normal things in life. But then again, he had to admit, that was one of the many reasons he had fallen in love with her to begin with.

"Make that pretty much anyone," Toph snorted. "People just can't be happy without hearing they're loved at least ten times a day. It's pathetic." She crumpled the empty bag and threw it into the campfire, listening to the crackling as it was consumed by flames.

Aang chose to hear her out before replying. When she remained quiet, however, he decided to question further. "What do you mean?"

"Well, it's true, isn't it?" Toph gave him a side-glance. "They just do. For example, every time Ty Lee pops up around Sokka, Suki gets angry, but as soon as he tells her he loves _her_, it's all good and happy again. And Katara's always saying how she doesn't care if Zuko tells her he loves her or not, but for a good part of the time, she's lying." Especially with the latter she'd had a lot of experience. Zuko wasn't quite as open about his emotions as Katara, and it had taken him a long time before he'd finally been able to tell her how much he loved her. Although Katara never made a big deal about it, saying she knew he loved her and that was enough, Toph knew it had worried her a lot.

Why?

"Well, we can't all tell how people feel by comparing vibrations and heartbeats," Aang reminded her.

"Still." Toph straightened up and rested her chin on her knees. "Isn't love supposed to be about trust or something? Yet nobody trusts each other. It's such a contradiction."

Aang chortled, shaking his head. "I guess it's just a nice thing to hear," he shrugged.

"Hmm." Toph snorted loudly. "I guess so. I still don't get the point, though." The firelight reflected in her pale green eyes as she threw him a blind glance. "I mean, even without telling you all the time, you still know I love you, right?"

"Of course," Aang smiled brightly. He couldn't help but notice this was the first time she'd really told him; it felt rather good. "So…" He glanced at her from the corner of his eye. She was still staring into the fire, a completely blank look on her face. "Has anyone ever told you they loved you?" he asked, trying to sound as indifferent as possible. He guessed they hadn't; he didn't think she'd talk about it this way if they had.

Toph glowered at him. "Of course they have," she huffed. What was he thinking?

The smile fell from Aang's face and he frowned. "Who?"

Toph grinned. "Relax, Twinkle Toes," she sniggered. "I'm talking about Katara, a few years ago. And there's my parents of course, always doing things 'because they love me'…" She snorted and shook her head. That was one of the things she'd hated most about the first twelve years of her life: Everybody doing stuff for her own good, or because they loved her. What kind of reasons were those, anyway?

"Oh." Aang repressed a relieved sigh. "That's different."

"I certainly hope so," Toph scoffed.

"No, really," Aang told her seriously. "It's very different."

Toph rolled her eyes. "I have no idea, Twinkle Toes," she said flatly. "And frankly, I don't care."

For a moment, Aang hesitated. Then he got up, crossed the short distance between them and knelt down in front of her.

Toph raised her eyebrows at him. "Twinkle Toes, what're you –" But Aang placed his hand over her mouth and the rest of her words got stuck in her throat.

He took a deep breath, and leaned forwards. "I love you, Toph." Before she even had a chance to reply in any way at all, he'd closed the distance between them completely and she found herself lost in the moment.

It wasn't as if they hadn't kissed before. They had shared more passionate kisses, and certainly deeper and longer ones. This was different. It was plain and chaste and tender; not at all so special.

Yet, for some strange reason, it felt better than all their previous kisses together.

Aang couldn't help but smirk pleased as he drew away. "Get the point now?" he asked her casually.

Toph let out an impassive sigh. "I'm not sure." She grinned, her eyes gleaming mischievously as she pulled him closer. "D'you think you could explain it again?"

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_A/N: As always: reviews are appreciated, but I'm already glad you've read it (assuming that you have, by the time you read this...). :) Thanks, and I hope you enjoyed. -June._


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